Sorry everyone, I thought I had it publish on this but I had only saved it.

Happy Reading.

Love
NJ Kuhr
XOXO

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The next few days didn't lead to many results. She had compiled a list of ingredients and items needed to conceal something as powerful as the Amethyst. She hadn't told her associates what was going on. At this point they didn't really question her motives anymore. She was known for asking odd questions. She went about her work as normal. Just asking around, popping in here and there to see how things were going, make random inquiries. Some places she went for gossip other places she asked about ingredients.

She didn't tell any of the vendors the same items. Especially the rare ones. She didn't want word getting around she was looking to make a concealment charm so she tossed in a few other ingredients to indicate other spells and potions. Unfortunately, she had the sneaking suspicion that the thief had done the same thing. Her contacts were used to it, even when she wasn't on a case she might stop by and ask around; always curious, always learning or studying something. They stopped wondering what was behind her inquiries a long time ago. She knew part of it was being over cautious but she also knew it was a good way to protect herself and the people she worked with.

A spell wouldn't work she had decided. The caster would have to keep the spell going twenty-four seven. That prevented them from returning to the Circle and concealing their crime. The majority of spells were quick or short lived, they were conjured for immediate results and never intended to be permanent. A charm was the best choice and it would throw off the Circle. Charms were beneath Warlocks. Such magic was used by lesser beings, Witches and so forth. They probably wouldn't even consider it. They had other ways to protect and hide items. Witches used charms because they can't produce a spell that could shield anything without the use of ingredients and talismans. Charms were earthbound magic, something Warlocks believes to be inferior magic.

Warlocks could produce shields and wards without the use of objects. The downside is other Warlocks can sense Warlock magic. It left a type of scent and each one unique to the caster. The Warlocks could track that kind of magic, they couldn't break the spell but they could identify who cast it. Being earthbound charms don't project the essence or scent of the caster, they give off earths magic. Something Warlocks tended to disregard. Which only made Reagan more confident that's what he used to hide it from them.

Reagan had hit the streets for two days and had come up with nothing. She had caught onto the trail though but she didn't like where it was going.
(⬇️ this is Sophia)

Sophia, a former client, had hired Reagan to negotiate a truce between her and another Coven member. She had used a cloaking charm to protect her amulet believing it would be attacked and her powers lost. Amulets are family heirlooms; passed down to each generation of Witches. Without it, a Witch could steal another Witch's powers. They were heavily protected and rarely removed.

That was the first time Reagan had ever met Sophia and it was one of her first encounters with the Coven. She had barely been in business less than a year but her reputation was beginning to bring in clients. She had managed to place herself in positions to be hired and after a while she no longer needed to seek out jobs. They had started coming to her and now she can pick and choose which jobs she's going to take on and which ones she's going to pitch to other businesses.

The high priestess of Sophia's coven had passed away. Another Witch from the Coven took the opportunity to claim possession of a specific potion. A potion Sophia had actually created and only the high priestess had known about it. Sophia had kept it a secret and only offered it directly out of her store. Somehow the other Witch got a copy and started selling it to other covens. Needless to say, it seriously cut into Sophia's profits as well as her own customer satisfaction.

She couldn't prove the recipe was her own so she brought in Reagan. Reagan was able to prove without a doubt that Sophia had been selling and making the potion in her shops for years before the plagiarist had started bragging about creating it. To top it off Reagan got a recorded admission that she had ripped off Sophia's product. After that Sophia was more welcoming towards Reagan and sent people her way if she thought they needed a fixer.

That was a nasty case. Reagan wasn't a fan of Witches. For the most part they were vindictive, conniving and always out for themselves. They were powerful in their own way. Not as powerful as the inner Circle of Warlocks but a close second. Warlocks were a sort of absent father figure to the Community so the Witches had been the big fish in the pond for centuries. If there were simpler matters that didn't require a supreme ruling than everyone went to the Witches. Each Coven had its own territory and would oversee the lives within. The Manhattan Coven may be more superficial than most Covens, at least Reagan suspected they were, but they were also the reigning Coven.

Witches didn't have a hierarchy the way the Warlocks do. Warlocks have levels of power and as their powers grew and they gain more experience they could graduate inward towards the inner Circle. Witches, however, were more territorial. Each Coven governed over their own area or city.

Sophia's Coven wasn't responsible or able to order other Covens around but they were considered a guiding Coven and an influential one. Other Witches looked at Sophia's Coven as an example and tended to present themselves in the same way. Covens could call other Covens in to settle a dispute if they couldn't resolve it themselves. New York was usually called upon for the bigger matters. They were the most experienced and usually had the more talented castors.

Their powers come from the earth. Even basic magic has to be generated in the ground and called upon. They needed to center their magic and pull from nature. It was burrowed. Warlocks had a little more control and didn't depend on anything but their own energy. They didn't need magic from a source; they could access it on their own. Reagan suspected that might be part of what made Witches so bitter and full of themselves. There were a few exceptions but not many. Witches were the popular girls everyone adored publicly and hated in secret. Covens were like high school but instead of practical jokes and pranks they dealt in curses and hexes.

Sophia wasn't horrible but then again she liked Reagan so she couldn't be sure. She stepped into the witches shop the day after Oliver came to meet her.

Sophia was Reagan's first step in the investigation. She needed to confirm her theory and ask a pro how to make the charm without actually asking. Reagan had mastered that skill when working with the Fae. They tend to know how to steer a conversation while appearing not to be included.

Sophia's store wasn't an a-cult shop; it was a pharmacy. Home remedies and supplies. It was very clean, modern, everything white and silver. Nothing like the little store across from Reagan's office which was filled with books, pipes, stones and any other odd artifact some poor naïve young girl might purchase believing it would bring her love or some other foolish notion. That shop looked like Mother Gothel was hired to decorate the store at first and then a hoarder took over. Sophia's store, however, was much more elegant. Not to mention sanitary.

Sophia was in a white blouse and white cotton slacks or maybe it was hemp, Reagan couldn't tell or care. She wore a brown printed scarf tied strategically around her waist to draw attention to how tiny she was, making Reagan feel somewhat plain in her simple black slacks and green t-shirt. The Witch was tall and willowy. She wasn't wearing any shoes, Witches had the tendency to walk around barefoot but even than she was still a few inches taller than Reagan was who was wearing heels.

The counter in front of her was cleared of almost everything. Religiously organized, there was a rack along the wall behind the counter full of ingredients in clear labeled jars. Reagan suspected Sophia measured the spaces between the jars with a ruler obsessively when there weren't any costumers in the store. Probably every morning and evening after she closed up shop. Better yet, she probably had a spell to make sure they never were out of place. She could be the poster child for OCD.

There were short rows of shelves with more supplies towards the back; different ailments identified how they were organized. Reagan had always had a secret desire to break in here after closing and switch everything around but she was sure there was some sort of magical security and Sophia's wrath was impressive. There was another counter along the back where Sophia could mix specialized solutions for customers herself, or as Reagan imagined, plotting someone's death.

"Reagan." The Witch sang when the bells chimed above the door as Reagan walked in.

"Sophia." Reagan mimicked the high pitched tone of her voice.

The tall red head stepped out from behind the cash register. Her hair a brighter shade of red than Reagan's. Sophia's was a ball of fire, Reagan's was more like molten lava, warm but rich.

She lightly wrapped her arms around Reagan. Reagan caught the sickly sweet smell that always emanated from Witches and resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose. "What brings you in?"

Just remember, breathe through your mouth, "Just looking for obsidian."" Reagan announced, "The stone on my bracelet came loose and I'm afraid I can't find it." She held up her wrist to show Sophia the bracelet. A struggle with a pair of pliers and considerably more elbow grease than Reagan expected had forced it loose. She was a little proud of how hard it had been too, it wouldn't be easy to lose a piece by accident considering the amount of creative ingenuity it took to remove the stone herself. A detail she didn't intend on sharing. All Sophia needed to know was that she needed a replacement.

As expected, Sophia glanced down at the bracelet. She tried to hide it but Reagan caught the flash of longing before she was able to smooth out her features into a friendly smile. Reagan was relieved Sophia hadn't questioned how, stones didn't just work themselves loose, not on this bracelet. Reagan's bracelet was one of a kind and she had a lot of offers for it but had never consented to let it go. Sophia had even offered a trade for it once. The false disinterest hadn't escaped Reagan's notice, it was one of the reasons she didn't completely trust the woman, although she had always been, well not hostile towards Reagan but cordial would be the best way to express their relationship. They got along just fine but she was still a Witch.

"Still don't take it off?" Sophia teased.

"Nope." Reagan lowered her arm.

Sophia turned towards her back room. Reagan waited patiently for her to come back. When she did she had a small black stone in her hand. She went back behind the counter and pulled out a small organizer case. Inside was a selection of settings. Sophia started matching the stone to the settings trying to find one the stone would fit into nicely without falling out.

"I wouldn't know where to put it if I took it off." Reagan continued as if Sophia hadn't left. "How would you protect a protection bracelet? I couldn't exactly lock it in a safe." She said dismissively. This was why she had chosen to come fourteen blocks from her office to Sophia instead of the Wicca shop next door.

Sophia didn't notice anything odd about her comment. "You could always use a spell?" She suggested automatically, she just couldn't help herself. Give her a dilemma, even unintentionally, and she will give an answer. That's exactly what Reagan planned; make her inquiry sound like some off the wall remark to another question and let Sophia take the conversation were Reagan wanted it to go.

"You have it so easy." Reagan joked reaching into a case and selecting a setting for a ring. It was pretty and she wanted to appear dismissive towards their conversation. "I can't cast spells"

"Right. You're not a Witch." As if she'd forgotten that fact, but Reagan let the snub roll of her shoulder. Well, not really, she needed Sophia to behave a certain way for her plan to work so Reagan couldn't get into an argument with her. She needed to be dismissive in order to appear uninterested in the topic. Instead of spouting out the comeback she had ready on her lips, Reagan intentionally put the setting back in the wrong spot. That might seem petty and small but it was the best way to irritate the Witch. A subtle revenge.

Sophia knew that Reagan didn't have magic, but it was the bitch in her that had to point it out. Freaking Witches. This wasn't an insult to Reagan but all Witches believe it should be, conceited as they are, they love to point it out, repeatedly, to those who aren't members of a Coven as if this makes them something to pity. She found the setting she was looking for and pulled out a tool to place the obsidian.

"Besides, even if I could, what would be the point? If I have to stick around to protect the bracelet I might as well keep it on." She made sure she sounded as if this ended the conversation. Nothing goaded a Witch more than someone else having the last say in any situation.

Just as Reagan predicted Sophia had to explain any other form of protection. "Than a charm. You don't need to be present for a charm to work." Reagan had already surmised this but by letting the woman think it was her idea she had provided Reagan with a little bit of security. If anyone questioned Sophia about what Reagan wanted she wouldn't include this. Sophia would be under the impression that Reagan could care less about protective charms. Sophia prattled on in her own high and mighty, all knowing manner, and Reagan pretended that she was pretending to listen.

Going on as if she was the source of all knowledge the Witch continued. "The charm would have to hide the powers of the bracelet. The best choice is moonstone and something strong to make the alter out of. You could set the bracelet in the middle of the pentagram and leave it. Binding it with some of your own blood would amplify the magic. If anyone was searching for it they wouldn't be able to find it, even if they were sitting right in front of it. You'd have to return to replace the moonstones but that would be the longest lasting charm that could hide something as significant as your bracelet. They would drain faster though combating the essence of so many charms."

Reagan smiled to herself, knowing Sophia had just provided the information she came here for, moonstones, that's was the most important ingredient to the kind of charm that would work on the amethyst. It's also why she dangled the bait of her bracelet. Sophia's thought process would include hiding the magic qualities without any direction from Reagan. When she thinks back on Reagan's intentions she won't include this discussion, especially her side of the conversation.

"Besides." Sophia glanced up at Reagan during her process. "It wouldn't go amiss to add one to your bracelet. They do help block watchful eyes."

Reagan smiled at the Witch. "I'll consider it." It wasn't a horrible idea, any other time and she would have put it on her tab but she wanted to make sure she wasn't connected to anything that had to do with moonstones. At least for the moment.

"Oh, and Reagan, dear. If you ever wear a tweed vest into my store again I'll jinx you."

Regan reached up to her brow line and pretended to tug on the brim of an invisible hat. "Yes, ma'am." Sophia always found one thing or another wrong with Reagan's sense of style.